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Eastern Red Cedar

Boston National Historical Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Identification

The Eastern Red Cedar is an evergreen with scaly leaves and reddish-brown bark that grows in strips. The Eastern Red Cedar is dioecious, meaning that an individual plant typically produces either male or female cones. Male cones are small and have a dull mustard yellow color while female cones are larger and rounder. Pollinated cones turn from green to blue-gray and resemble berries.

Examples:

scaly evergreen leaves with reddish-brown bark
Leaves of the Eastern Red Cedar.

NPS Photo/ W. Kaselow

leaves of an Eastern Red Cedar with dull mustard yellow male cones
Male Pollen Cones of the Eastern Red Cedar.

NPS Photo/ W. Kaselow

pale green/white unripe flower cones
Female flower cones of the Eastern Red Cedar.

NPS Photo/ W. Kaselow

Eastern Red Cedar leaves with large, round seed cones.
Female seed cone of the Eastern Red Cedar.

Ellen G Denny via Smug Mug CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Leaves of the Eastern Red Cedar with blue-gray seed cones resembling berries.
Pollinated female seed cones of the Eastern Red Cedar.

Ellen G Denny via Smug Mug CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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Last updated: October 28, 2022